Jury deliberates for 2nd day in case against Minn. businessman accused of $3.5B Ponzi scheme

Jury deliberates for 2nd day in Petters fraud case

ST. PAUL, Minn. — A jury is deliberating the fate of a Minnesota businessman accused of operating a Ponzi scheme that cost investors more than $3.5 billion.

Jurors got the case against Tom Petters on Monday afternoon and deliberated for two hours before breaking for the evening. They returned Tuesday.

They’re working through 49 pages of jury instructions and a 20-count indictment that charges Petters with wire fraud, mail fraud, conspiracy and money laundering.

The defense claims Petters is innocent and others carried out the fraud without his knowledge.

If the jurors don’t reach a verdict Tuesday, they’re expected to break for the Thanksgiving holiday and return to the federal courthouse in St. Paul next week.